The New York Giants are heading into a fun year to be a fan, and the idea is that winning football might be back in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There are a couple of reasons why this might happen, with new additions almost everywhere, but there is one big returning star who could light the way.
That would be linebacker Abdul Carter, who is about to enter his second season in the NFL with even higher expectations than before. CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin recently picked Carter as the Giants’ non-quarterback MVP for the 2026 season, and his reasoning makes the prediction even more interesting.
Despite finishing with just four sacks last season, Carter generated a sack, hit, or hurry on 14% of his pass-rush snaps, according to Dubin. That was actually higher than Brian Burns’ 12.1% pressure rate during his 16.5-sack season.
If Carter starts turning more of those pressures into sacks -- like he has during training camp -- Dubin believes he has a chance to emerge as one of the NFL’s top edge rushers.
Abdul Carter has a chance to become Giants’ ultimate difference-maker
Carter is now amongst a very lethal linebacking group, both inside and on the edge. Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, alongside newcomers Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese, make for a mean middle of the field for the Giants. Defensive Coordinator Dennard Wilson is going to have a lot of fun drawing up those schemes for the 2026 season.
For No. 3, there's a sense that this upcoming season is going to be a bit different than his first one. Alongside quarterback Jaxson Dart, all of the Big Blue faithful are praying that there isn't a sophomore slump incoming for either player.
In 2025, Carter found his way to the quarterback a lot more than the stat sheet showed. That, and the ability to stay healthy, will play a big role in whether or not he should be considered the most valuable part of not only the defensive unit but the team entirely.
One interesting thing to think about is how Carter will be able to not only shred opposing linemen, but also his fellow edge rushers. Burns had a masterful 16.5-sack season, with eyes on an encore in 2026, and Thibodeaux is entering fight-or-flight mode with a new contract in sight following the season.
It is going to be dog-eat-dog in that second line of defense, and Carter is going to have to be hungrier than players much older and more experienced than himself. If Carter can double or even triple his four-sack total from last season while maintaining that same level of pressure, Dubin’s prediction might not look so crazy by the end of the year.
Of course, the only person that can make that happen is Carter himself. He is going to get the looks, and the chances to showcase his greatness, but he has to be the one to rise to the challenge.
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